Elevator lock and switch mechanism



May 7, 1940.

A. vAccA 7 2,199,471

ELEVATOR LOCK AND SWITCH MECHANISM F/a; j

Filed Feb. 28, 1959 I I l I l I l I I I I 1 I A/vTo/vm M4604 BY M w M ATTORNEY.

Patented May 7, 1940 ELEVATOR. LOCK AND SWITCH MECHANISM Antonio Vacca, Cleveland, Ohio Application February 28, 1939, Serial No. 258,926

3 Claims. (01. 20055) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relates in general to combined door latch and switch mechanisms, and more particularly to a latch for an elevator gate which opens and closes an electric circuit thereby permitting and prohibiting the movement of the elevator.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple latch and switch mechanism which will permit an elevator to move only when the elevator gate is closed and locked.

An object of my invention is to provide a latch and switch mechanism which will prevent the movement of an elevator when the elevator gate is unlocked.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking device and a switching mechanism which operate together on a single movement.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bar lock for an elevator door in combination with a switch in the actuating circuit for the elevator, and to open and close the elevator circuit as the elevator door is opened and closed.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an opening in an elevator actuating circuit which is closed after the elevator gate is locked in closed position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an opening in an elevator actuating circuit which is closed when the elevator is operating but which is opened to stop the elevator before the elevator gate can be opened.

Another object of my invention is to provide an elevator switch and lock mechanism which may be installed on existing elevators.

Another object of my invention is to furnish a switch and lock mechanism which has two definite positions, open and closed.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a switch and lock mechanism which has a minimum of moving parts.

.Another object of my invention is to provide locks for elevator gates on a plurality of floor levels which, when. any one of the gates opens, prevents movement of the elevator.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had from the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which like parts are designated by like reference characters, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my switch and lock mechanism showing the switch box which is attached to a non-movable part of the elevator shaft and the actuating mechanism which is attached to an elevator gate.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure -1.

Figure 3 shows my invention mounted on an elevator gate which moves up and down in a vertical plane and Figure 4 shows my invention mounted on an elevator gate which slides horizontally.

With reference to the drawing my invention comprises a switch box I!) mounted on a nonmovable part of the elevator shaft II by screws l4, and an actuating mechanism indicated generally by the reference character l2 mounted on a movable elevator gate l3 by screws l8.

The elevator gate 13 is designed to prevent people from falling down the elevator shaft when the elevator is not at the floor level. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the gate may be of several types. Figure 3 shows a gate which is designed to slide vertically and Figure 4 shows a door which is designed to slide horizontally.

The switch box I!) is made of metal and may be lined with an insulating material l5. The switch box 10 is provided with a removable cover arranged to be held in position by suitable screws entering therethrough and engaging the threadable openings 6 l, but in Figure 1 the box is shown with the cover removed. Across the box is positioned a heavy insulating block I6 which is held in position by screws l1. Fastened to the insulating block 16 by bolts 22 are two spaced contacts 23. The bolts 22 pass through the insulating block. l6 and provide terminals for two wires 24 and 25 which are in the elevator operating circuit, Nuts 26 are used to firmly connect the wires 24 and 25 to the bolts 22 and to establish a good electrical connection with contacts 23. The wires 24 and 25 enter the switch box ID through an inlet hole 21. The contacts 23 may be of any material or shape but I prefer spring brass bent into an arcuate shape. Through a wall of the switch box In and in line with the spacing between the contacts 23 there is a bolt hole 30 through which a sliding bolt 3! may be projected by the action of the actuating mechanism l2. The contacts 23 are placed close enough together so that the projection of the sliding bolt between them establishes a firm bridging engagement.

The actuating mechanism comprises a base plate 32 which is attached to the movable elevator gate l3 by means of the screws l8. Two lugs 33 are attached to the base plate, one on each side, in an aligned position so that when the elevator gate I3 is closed and locked the sliding bolt 3|, which slides in holes 34 in the lugs,

passes through the bolt hole 30 in the switch box In and firmly engages both of the contacts 23 thereby completing the circuit through the wires 24 and 25.

Attached to the sliding bolt 3| is a handle 35 which actuates the bolt. Any fastening device which permits a sliding movement between the sliding bolt 3| and the handle 35 may be used, but I prefer a bolt 36 which extends through the handle and into the sliding bolt. .A slot 38 is provided in the handle to allow radial movement of the handle with respect to the sliding bolt 3|.

One end of the handle 35 is pivotally connected to a lug 4| which in turn is attached to the base plate 32 by any suitable means. To connect the handle to the lug 4| I use a bolt 43 and provide a slot 42 in the handle to allow for radial play of the handle and to assure the operator easy movement. Between the handle pivot bolt 43 and the sliding bolt 3| I provide a selective positioning arrangement 44 with a longitudinal space 45 through which the handle 35 passes. On the outer side of the positioning arrangement I have provided two substantially semi-circular notches or dwells 41 and 48 into which a circular projection 49 on the handle is designed to fit thereby providing two definite positions, open and closed. When the handle 35 is moved so that the projection 49 fits into notch 41 the sliding bolt 3| passes through the hole 30in switch box l0 and engages both contacts 23 and permits current to flow through the wires 24 and 25. The sliding bolt, in this position, prevents the raising of the elevator gate l3 as it engages a side of the switch box H]. In order to raise the gate 3 it is necessary to withdraw the lock bolt from the box.

By moving the handle 35 toward the pivot 43 until the projection 49 is above the edge 50 of the selective positioning arrangement 44- and by swinging it toward the notch 48 the sliding bolt is withdrawn from between the contacts 23 thereby breaking the elevator actuating circuit and withdrawing sliding bolt from the switch box. In this position the elevator is stopped and the elevator gate may be opened.

Toprevent the current from flowing to the switch box when the sliding bolt 3| is in engagement with contacts 23 an insulating section 55 is placed in the bolt between the box l0 and the contacts 23. This may be done by bifurcating the bolt 3| at two points 53 and 54 and inserting the insulating section 55. Rivets 56 may be used to hold the insulating section in place. The end 51 of the sliding bolt 3| which engages the contacts 23 is preferably made of brass, but any other electric current conductor may be used.

Figure 4 shows a variation in the manner in which the lock bolt is mounted. It is shown fixedly attached to a horizontally sliding door and aligned with a switch box attached to the elevator shaft.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details: of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A gate bolt and contact for controlling a control circuit of an elevator and locking an elevator gate, comprising in combination, a lock casing, terminals connected in said circuit and mounted in said casing, a gate bolt having an insulated current conducting end, said gate bolt arranged to pass through a hole in said lock casing and contact directly with said terminals, a handle turnably attached to said gate bolt and adapted to actuate said bolt, a pivot attachment to fasten. said handle to said elevator gate, a bracket having dwells attached to said gate between said pivot and said bolt, said handle having a projection adapted to be engaged by said dwells to restrain said handle and said bolt in two selective positions, one of said positions holding said insulated end in contact with said terminals and preventing the movement of the said elevator gate, the other of said positions breaking the elevator control circuit and allowing the gate bolt to move vertically with the elevator gate without touching the lock casing, the said turnable connect-ion and the said pivotal connection of the handle arranged to allow the handle to slide radially to cause the said. handle projection to clear the bracket between the said dwells.

2. A bar lock and contact for controlling a control circuit of an elevator and looking an elevator gate, comprising, in combination,

a switch box mounted on said elevator shaft, said switch box containing spaced electrical contacts in the elevator control circuit, a locking bar slidably attached to said shaft gate and adapted to enter said switch box to lock said gate and to di- 5 rectly contact both spaced electrical contacts, a handle pivotally and slidably mounted on said gate and pivotally and slidably connected to said bar, a projection on said handle, a position bracket having dwells therein, said projection on said handle being adapted to norm/ally engage one of said dwells, and said handle being arranged to slidably disengage said projection from said dwell and actuate said locking bar.

3. A gate bolt and contact for controlling a control circuit of an elevator and locking an elevator gate, comprising, in combination, a lock casing, terminals connected in said circuit and mounted in said. casing, a gate bolt having an insulated current conducting end, said gate bolt arranged to pass through a hole in said lock casin and contact directly with both of said terminals, a handle turnably attached to said gate bolt and adapted to actuate said gate bolt, a pivot turnably attaching said handle to said elevator gate, a bracket having spaced dwells attached to said gate, said handle having a projection adapted to engage said dwells to constrain said handle and said bolt in two selective positions, said handle being slidable at said pivot and at said gate bar attaching point to allow the handle to be slid relative to the gate to permit the said handle projection to clear the said bracket between the dwells, and said' handle being arranged with respect to said bracket to cause gravity to hold said proj ectlon in said dwells thereby requiring a force opposite to gravity to open or close said gate.

ANTONIO VACCA. 

